Systems and methods for high power DC/DC conversion using voltage converter cells

Abstract

A voltage conversion system and methods are disclosed. Voltage converter cells are controlled using interleaved phase-shift modulation signals, and convert an input electrical current at an input voltage to an output electrical current at an output voltage. Each of the voltage converter cells comprises: a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side, a full-bridge voltage converter connected in parallel to the primary side, and center-tapped rectifiers connected in series to the secondary side. One or more group of outputs of the voltage converters are coupled in series via the center-tapped rectifiers.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A voltage conversion system comprising:
 a plurality of voltage converter cells controlled using interleaved phase-shift modulation signals, and operable to convert an input electrical current at an input voltage to an output electrical current at an output voltage, wherein at least one voltage converter cell of the plurality of voltage converter cells comprises:
 a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side; 
 a full-bridge voltage converter connected in parallel to the primary side; and 
 a plurality of center-tapped rectifiers connected in series to the secondary side; 
 
 wherein at least one group of outputs of the plurality of voltage converter cells are coupled in series via the plurality of center-tapped rectifiers. 
 
     
     
       2. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , wherein the full-bridge voltage converter of the at least one voltage converter cells is coupled in parallel to a DC voltage input source. 
     
     
       3. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one group of the outputs of the plurality of voltage converter cells is independently regulated. 
     
     
       4. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one group of the outputs is independently coupled to an independent load. 
     
     
       5. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voltage converter cells are operated at an interleaving angle of 360° divided by twice a total number of the voltage converter cells in parallel at the primary side. 
     
     
       6. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , further comprising a low pass filter coupled to an output of at least one of the plurality of voltage converter cells, and operable to low pass filter an output of the at least one group of outputs. 
     
     
       7. The voltage conversion system of  claim 6 , wherein the low pass filter comprises an inductor. 
     
     
       8. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller module operable to:
 generate a plurality of phase-shift modulation signals; and 
 interleave the plurality of phase-shift modulation signals to provide the interleaved phase-shift modulation signals. 
 
     
     
       9. The voltage conversion system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller module is further operable to configure the interleaved phase-shift modulation signals to:
 reduce a current ripple of the input electrical current, reduce a voltage ripple of the output voltage, or control the output electrical current and the output voltage by deactivating at least one of the voltage converters. 
 
     
     
       10. The voltage conversion system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one voltage converter cell of the plurality of the voltage converter cells further comprises:
 the full-bridge converter coupled to at least one of the phase-shift modulation signals and the input electrical current, and operable to convert the input electrical current to a first AC electrical current; 
 the transformer coupled to the full bridge converter, and operable to convert a first voltage of the first AC electrical current to a second voltage of a second AC electrical current; and 
 the center-tapped coupled to the transformer, and operable to convert the second AC electrical current to a DC output current. 
 
     
     
       11. A method for voltage conversion, the method comprising:
 generating a plurality of phase-shift modulation signals; 
 interleaving the phase-shift modulation signals to provide interleaved phase-shift modulation signals; and 
 controlling a plurality of voltage converter cells using the interleaved phase-shift modulation signals to convert an input electrical current at an input voltage to an output electrical current at an output voltage, wherein at least one voltage converter cell of the plurality of voltage converter cells comprises:
 a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side; 
 a full-bridge voltage converter connected in parallel to the primary side; and 
 a plurality of center-tapped rectifiers connected in series to the secondary side, wherein at least one group of outputs of the voltage converter cells are coupled in series via the plurality of center-tapped rectifiers. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 configuring the interleaved phase-shift modulation signals to: 
 reduce a current ripple of the input electrical current, reduce a voltage ripple of the output voltage, or control the output electrical current and the output voltage by deactivating at least one of the voltage converters. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one the plurality of voltage converter cells further comprises:
 the full-bridge converter coupled to at least one of the phase-shift modulation signals and the input electrical current, and operable to convert the input electrical current to a first AC electrical current; 
 the transformer coupled to the full bridge converter, and operable to convert a first voltage of the first AC electrical current to a second voltage of a second AC electrical current; and 
 the center-tapped coupled to the transformer, and operable to convert the second AC electrical current to a DC output current. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising low pass filtering an output of at least one group of outputs. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling an output voltage level of the output voltage using phase-shift modulation of the phase-shift modulation signals. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling the output electrical current and the output voltage by deactivating at least one of the voltage cell of the plurality of voltage converter cells. 
     
     
       17. A method for providing a voltage conversion system, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of voltage converter cells controlled using interleaved phase-shift modulation signals, and operable to convert an input electrical current at an input voltage to an output electrical current at an output voltage, wherein at least one voltage converter cell of the plurality of voltage converter cells comprises:
 a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side, 
 a full-bridge voltage converter connected in parallel to the primary side, and 
 a plurality of center-tapped rectifiers connected in series to the secondary side, and 
 
 coupling at least one group of outputs of the voltage converter cells in series via the plurality of center-tapped rectifiers. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing a controller module operable to:
 generate a plurality of phase-shift modulation signals; and 
 interleave the phase-shift modulation signals to provide interleaved phase-shift modulation signals. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing the plurality of voltage converters converter cells further comprises:
 providing the full bridge converter of the at least one voltage converter cell coupled to at least one of the phase-shift modulation signals and the input electrical current, and operable to convert the input electrical current to a first AC electrical current; 
 providing the transformer of the at least one voltage converter cell coupled to the full bridge converter of the at least one voltage converter cell, and operable to convert a first voltage of the first AC electrical current to a second voltage of a second AC electrical current; and 
 providing the center-tapped rectifiers of the at least one voltage converter cell coupled to the transformer of the at least one voltage converter cell, and operable to convert the second AC electrical current to a DC output current. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising
 providing a low pass filter coupled to an output of at least one group of outputs, wherein the low pass filter is operable to low pass filter the output.